Traditions is the only muzzleloader that my grandfather will buy. He regularly downs deer beyond 200 yards... understand that he years ago he was on the Utah Highway Patrol pistol team and also has also competed in many marksmanship competitions while on the Patrol. He's a freakishly amazing shot.

“The consequences of our actions are always so complicated, so diverse, that predicting the future is a very difficult business indeed.” -Albus Dumbledore

I have an older Traditions (Lightning Bolt??) and absolutely love it. It's light weight so packing in the trees is great, has a muzzlebrake so recoil is light, and I've killed a few elk at different yardages (70-150). It has a stainless fluted barrel and camo stock, looks good. The only bad thing about it, is it is very picky about bullet weight. The 1 in 28" twist seems to like heavier stuff, at least from my experience. I'm playing around with some lighter stuff (250 gr. Barnes) and charges. Mixed results. But my old load of 90 grns. Pyrodex pellets and 295 gr. Powerbelts were lethal on spike elk. Never had to look hard to find the downed animal.

I bought the traditions vortek ldr last year when it first came out.I am very pleased with it I got the plain black syn. model it loads easy shoots like a dream with 295 gr. power belts /100 gr. of triple 7 pellets.I am shooting 1/2 in. groups at 100 yds. i havent got to shoot anything with it yet but I know it will do the job.The 30 in. barrel really balances the gun and easy on the shoulder best muzzle loader I have ever shot and the most accurate also.